Adlington to Wigan

17 and 18 May

It was just as well we had a relaxing day in Adlington to gain energy for Wigan. 

You would have thought he would have got some new HEB t-shirts

Pete and I went for a very nice Indian the night before and we would give it a 9 out of 10 – yum. It will take some beating and has certainly set a bench mark. If in Adlington highly recommend Zal Zala Indian http://zalzalarestaurant.co.uk/

We left Adlington just after 8am and had a leisurely cruise to the top of the Wigan flight

Arriving at 10am to start Lock 65 and finished the last one 5pm – Lock 86.

Sailing away and leaving me

This pub should be at the bottom of the locks not at the top

Some of the locks leak very badly and you have to open and close paddles all over the place

Have got a trick for lowering paddles - a pair of gardening gloves work a treat

On the side of the locks are Roman Numbers for numbering.

Nearly there

We only did 7 miles and I walked 5 miles and opened 23 locks, I wish there had been volunteers, we meet Peter who did Johnson’s Hillock Locks with us for 3 Locks, (Lock 73) he set them for me and helped us through the worse which is Lock 75, this was also were the boat that he was taking up the flight was dealing with a prop problem. 

We did it and I am absolutely stuffed. This was worse than walking the Milford Track - talk about exhausting. Very rewarding that you accomplish it, though I think it may take a few days before I accept that. It needs to be noted I will not do that many locks again on the same day.

By the time we did Lock 86 I was on auto pilot. I was still walking and arrived at mooring spot about 15 minutes after Pete who wanted me to tie the boat up, you can imagine what I told him. I went inside had a two wines which did not touch sides, then a third a shower and crashed.

TOTAL - 7 miles - 23 locks - 3 Aquaducts. Took 7 hours from top of locks to bottom

18 May

Today I have woken pretty stiff but not too bad, though I have still not forgiven the Wigan Flight maybe in a few more days. We are staying put for a little while and today went for a walk around Wigan, some interesting sights glad we ventured out. Dianne and I had a lovely lunch at a café and grabbed a leg of lamb for dinner. Pete gave up early and went and got a haircut and went back to the boat.

Wigan Head outside council buildings

Wigan Town Centre 

Tomorrow hopefully we will catch a train into Liverpool and then head off again a little fresher for Manchester the day after. We have three locks to get out of here and at the moment I am on strike.

TOTAL - 0 miles - 0 locks - 0 Aquaducts - Shank's pony 2 miles